A TWO-CHANNEL SUPPORTING AND SLIDING DEVICE FOR CURTAINS

Abstract: The supporting and sliding device for curtains according to the present invention, with or without rings, allows the complete or partial crossing of a curtain, being realized with two independent channels (6) and (7), in which rings (9) and sliding supports (17 and 20) slide, to which the two curtains are applied. Both (9 and 17, 20) are provided with dragging carriages (10, 18, 19) operated by a cord (14) passing through each channel (6, 7); pulling said cord, each of the curtains, sliding in its own channel (6, 7), will reach the opposite end of the device (1), thus determining the complete crossing of the curtains. The device (1) allows the realization of a plurality of kinds of curtains: with more curtains, "packet"-curtains, "bouillonné"-curtains, double curtains, etc.

Description: "A TWO-CHANNEL SUPPORTING AND SLIDING DEVICE FOR CURTAINS" SPECIFICATION The present invention concerns an improved device for the support and sliding of curtains with two sliding channels, in which special curtain supports are inserted, eventually provided with a carriage with a cord also passing inside said channels. In the conventional curtain supports, one single sliding channel is provided, and the crossing of the two curtains is limited to a small central part where the two carriages of the two curtains meet- Consequently, if the complete crossing of the two curtains is to be obtained, i.e. a disposition in which the two superimposed curtains are extended both from one end to the other of the curtain support, the following elements are requested: - two parallel curtain supports, or - a curtain support mounted to the wall, called "american-kind" , and before it a conventional curtain support. The disadvantages of such solutions consist of increased costs (because two supports are used) and of a greater encumbrance. It is the aim of the present invention to reduce the costs and the encumbrance allowing the complete crossing of the two curtains, and to obtain different kinds of curtains making use of one single sliding support. The present invention will be described hereinbelow relating to some embodiments shown in the drawings, for exemplifying and not limiting purposes, in which: figure 1 shows a perspective front view of the device according to the present invention, with a central and a left part of the support taken away, so as to better show the features of the device and for showing that the support may be of any desired length; figure 2 shows a perspective back view of the device according to figure 1; figure 3 shows a perspective view of a further embodiment according to the present invention, in which one sliding channel is provided in the lower part; figure 4 shows a perspective view of a third possible embodiment according to the present invention, with means for lifting the back curtain, sliding in the lateral guide of the support; figure 5 shows a section of the support having the shape of a hollow metal according to figures 1 and 2, with a sliding half-ring in the upper channel and a lateral sliding support provided in the lateral guide; figure 6 shows the support with the hollow metal shape with a different embodiment of the supporting and sliding half-ring of the curtains; figure 7 shows a square section of the hollow metal, with the lower channel and the relative sliding support of the curtains, and with a lateral guide or "open" channel; figure 8 shows a square section of the hollow-metal- shaped support with octagonal section, with an upper and a lateral channel; figure 9 shows a full support, e.g. out of wood, with two channels out of PVC or other material; figure 10 shows a sliding support, also shown in figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8, whose small supporting rod for the curtains is free to oscillate on two octagonal planes, as described hereinbelow; figure 11 shows a sliding means for lifting the curtains, contained in the embodiment shown in figure 4; figure 12 shows a scheme of an embodiment with two channels, each of which houses an independent system for moving respectively the front and the back curtains; figure 13, shows a section of the supporting metal of the curtains, provided with an internal reinforcement; figure 14 shows an embodiment of the metal with three channels and an internal reinforcement; figure 15 shows the metal shape of figure 14 with a sliding support in the shape of a half-ring, inserted in the lower channel. Relating now to the figures, figures 1 and 2 show the support 4 in the shape of a hollow metal 5 for supporting a curtain according to the present invention, to be mounted to a wall by fixing to the same supporting brackets 2, having at its ends two conventional spherical terminals 3, as shown in the figure, or of any other shape like, e.g.: a pine-cone, a spear, a leaf etc. The two terminals 3 may be replaced by known angular and curved supports which, having supporting functions, eliminate the conventional brackets 2. In said device 1, said support 4 is fixed to brackets 2 by means of threaded pins 44 and shows: a channel 6 on the vertical axis V, V (figure 6), and a channel 7 on the horizontal axis O, 0' (figure 6), orthogonal to vertical axis V, V . A plurality of sliding half-rings 9 are provided in channel 6 and in its relative guide track 8, said half-rings being characterized in a C-shape, and comprising a slide 25 having two circular ends, an upper one 26 and a lower one 27, united by a cylindrical body 28 shown in figure 2. The upper circular end 26 is fixed with a loose screw 29 to the half-ring 9 (figure 6), while the lower end 27 prevents its outcoming from the guide track 8, allowing its free oscillation. Each half-ring 9 has lower down an eyelet 30 to which the curtains are fixed in the known manner. Furthermore, a known dragging carriage 10 is provided to which, by means of loose screws 11, two half-rings 9 are applied, united by a perforated small rod 12, fixed with two screws and with a nut 3. Also the cord 14 for moving the dragging carriage 10 is inserted in channel 6. Inside the metal shape 5 the return pulley 15 is inserted in the known manner. The element 25 may build one single body with the half-ring 9, eliminating the upper end 26 and the screw 29 as shown in figure 5. Said half-rings allow, as will be desribed more in detail hereinbelow, the complete crossing of the two curtains, without interfering with the lateral sliding means 17 described hereinbelow. According to the present invention, a second channel 7 and its relative guide track 16 are provided onto the metal shape 5, with a plurality of sliding means 17 characterized in a nearly H-shape (in section) of their upper part 17A, that allows their easy sliding in the guide track 16. In the barycentre of the upper part 17A of the sliding means 17 is inserted a projecting metal pin 31 with a head 32, and in that pin a small rod 33 is inserted, free to oscillate, having an upper hole 34 (figure 5) for the passage of the pin 31, and a lower hole 35 to which the curtains are applied in the known manner. Element 17A and pin 31 may be out of one piece. The small rod 33 may oscillate as shown in figure 8, and also on a plane orthogonal to pin 31. The lateral channel 7 which in figure 5, 6, 7 and 8 is "open", i.e. it can communicate with the inside of the hollow metal shape, may also be "closed" as shown in the same figures for channel 6, and along said channel 7 a second dragging carriage 18 slides to which the passing cord 14 is fixed by means of a knot 36. From said dragging carriage 18 two pins 31 with a head 32 project, whereby said pins support the perforated rod 37, thus allowing the same the free oscillation. The free oscillation of elements 9, 33 and 37 is not indispensable because they might also be fixed, but it facilitates the sliding of the two curtains at the crossing moment, in case of curlings and/or voluminous cloths. Only the portion 14B of the cord for moving the dragging carriage 18 is inserted in lateral channel 7. Portion 14A of said cord slides in upper channel 6. Moving the cord 14, the dragging carriages 10 and 18, sliding each in its own guide track, rach the opposite end of the support, thus determining the complete crossing of the two curtains (figure 12). According to a further embodiment of the present invention, shown in figure 12, each of the channels 6 and 7 will house, independently one from the other, its own conventional moving system with a cord 14 (i.e., two portions of the cord 14A and 14B in channel 6 and two portions 14A' and 14B' in channel 7), mounted in a conventional manner, and the drops may be provided on opposite sides of the support 4 (as in figure 12) or both on the same side. One moving system will allow the opening of the two front curtains, another one the opening of the back curtains. Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of the device according to the present invention, in the variant without half-rings 9. This device is characterized in the different position of channel 6 (figure 7) with respect to figures 1 and 2. Said channel 6 is placed in the lower part of the hollow metal shape 5, and beyond the known dragging carriage 19, a plurality of sliding means 20 as well as the portion 14B of the cord are sliding in channel 6. A plurality of sliding means 17 (broadly described in figure 1), the portion 14A of the cord and the dragging carriage are sliding in the lateral channel 7 and in the relative guide track 16. By operating one of the two portions 14A or 14B of the cord 14, the crossing of the curtains - the front and the back one - is obtained, in opening or closing phase. According to the present invention, many advantages and different kinds of curtains are obtained by varying according to the tastes the kinds of sliding elements and/or the number of the carriages inserted in channels 6 and 7. For example, figure 4 shows a back perspective view of an embodiment in which sliding elements are used, that do not have the function of supporting the curtains but of lifting them. Beyond the half-rings 9 placed in channel 6, the sliding elements 17 and the dragging carriage 18 placed in channel 7, elements 21 for lifting the curtains that slide in the guide track 16 of channel 7 are inserted. According to the embodiment of figure 4, the two half- ring couples 9 (at the right and the left of the figure) are blocked, i.e. fixed, in channel 6 and have the function of supporting the two lateral front curtains. The number of the half-rings 9 may be increased and they may also movable. The various elements of the device of figure 4 inserted in the lateral channel 7 have, as will be described hereinbelow, two purposes: a) the lifting to a desired height of a back curtain; b) the opening in horizontal sense of the back curtain. Said elements 21 (shown in detail in figure 11) consist in a rod-like element 40, whose lower end part has the shape of a half-close ring 41 for allowing the passage of the small cord 22, that passes through the eyelets sewn at the lower ends of the curtain, for allowing its lifting. The lifting means 21 also have a square section element with blunted angles 42, that unites the rod-like element 40 to another element having a semispherical head 43. Element 42 can slide in the guide track 16. A clutch drive 23, fixed to the metal shape 5 by means of a screw 24 for the moving and blocking of the small cords 22 that lift the curtains, is also inserted in one end of the device. Acting on the projections 22A of the small cords 22 passing through the drive means 23, the horizontal and vertical forces that are formed in the small cord 22 determine a resultant Fr that acts like a lever onto element 42 (that rotates in a fix point (fulcrum) on the guide track 16), thus blocking the lifting means 21. This allows the curtains to get lifted like "packet"-curtains or "bouillonne"-curtains. 22B shows a means for covering the knot. Acting now onto one of the two portions of the cord 14, the dragging carriage 18 is put into movement inside the guide track 16, and said carriage cooperates with sliding elements 17 and lifting sliding elements 21, determining the sliding thereof: in this way the horizontal opening of the back curtains is obtained. By appropriately combining all elements forming the device according to the present invention, any kind of curtain may be easily obtained, exploiting the initial idea of making use of two (open or closed) channels onto one single supporting metal shape. A further embodiment provides a conventional, stretched, back "packet"-curtain (maintained in its position by sliding elements 17B placed in channel 7 at the ends, between terminal 3 and the supporting brackets 2), and only one front sliding curtain. This solution provides a lateral guide channel for housing elements 21 for lifting the back curtain, and a lower channel 6 without half-rings and with sliding supports 20 for the sliding of the front curtain. It is evident that the opening and closing movement of the curtains of any kind may take place by directly acting onto the curtain making use of an apposite small rod or a small lash, i.e. the drive drops of cord 14 may be not provided. It is also evident that the moving of a curtain along one or two guides of the metal shape may also take place in a rudimental manner, without the use of carriages; that means that the use of a carriage and the relative cord 14 for the front and/or back curtain may be avoided, making use only of the sliding supports 9, 17 and 20, movable with a control rod. The circular section of the metal shape 5 shown in figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 is only exemplifying and not limiting, as said metal shape 5 may assume many different shapes as, e.g.: octagonal (figure 8), square, ellipsoidal, etc. For what concerns the material for the realization of said metal shape 5, brass and aluminium are preferred; also a realization in wood 45 is provided (figure 9), and in this case the two channels 6 and 7 may be, e.g., out of PVC or aluminium (figure 9). The correct combination of the kind of support 4, of the half-rings 9 (that may eventually also be fixed to the metal shape 5, as already mentioned in figure 4, for blocking in an ornamental manner the two lateral sides of the front curtains), of the sliding elements 17 and 20, of the number of the cord's 14 drops, of the elements 23 (even two may be provided at the ends), of the carriages 10, 18 and 19 and of the lifting elements 21, allows the easy mounting of a great number of kinds of curtains. In figures 13, 14 and 15 it can be seen that the metal shape 5 has an internal reinforcement. Figure 14 shows that the hollow metal shape 5 has three channels, so as to be used with the sliding supports 20 as well as with the half-rings 9. Figure 15 shows the metal shape of figure 14 with a sliding support 2OB in the lower chanel 6A, with an upper part in the shape of a half-ring 9A.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A supporting and sliding device for curtains, comprising a support (4) firmly connected to a wall at its ends, characterized in that it has an upper or lower channel (6) onto said support (4) for the guide of sliding supports (9, 20) of a first curtain, and a lateral channel (7) for the guide of second sliding supports (17) for a second curtain, said first and second sliding supports being characterized in that they may oscillate so as not to hinder the crossing between the first and the second curtain. 2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that means for the horizontal moving and/or lifting (10, 18, 19, 14; 21, 22, 23) of the curtain are provided in channel (6) and/or in channel (7). 3. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in that said channel (6) is placed in an upper position and the relative sliding supports consist of C-shaped half-rings (9) with one part (25) thereof inserted in channel (6) with a determined play, so as to allow the oscillating of half-rings (9). 4. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in that said second supports (17) consist of a part (17A) with H-section sliding along the lateral channel (7), and of an oscillating part (33), preferably a small rod (33), supported by a pin (31) firmly connected to part (17A) with H-section, and inserted into a hole (34) obtained on said oscillating part (33). 5. A device according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises an upper channel (6) in which half- rings (9) slide, a part of said half-rings (9) being connected, by means of an upperly perforated small rod (12), by means of a carriage (10) also sliding in upper channel (6), a carriage (18) sliding along said lateral channel (7) to which a perforated rod (37) is linked connected to carriage (18) by means of pins (31) that get inserted into holes provided on carriage (18) and that allow the oscillation of the perforated rods (37), said device being further characterized in that it comprises the second supports (17) on lateral channel (7), a cord (14) with a portion (14A) placed in channel (6) and a portion (14B) placed in channel 7, a return pulley (15) at one end of said support (4), a drop for said cord (14) provided at the opposite end of support (4) with respect to the return pulley (15), so that acting onto said drop the complete crossing of the front curtain and of the back curtain is possible. 6. A device according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a lower channel (6) in which sliding elements (20) slide, a part of said sliding elements (20) being connected by means of a dragging carriage (19), also sliding in the lower channel (6), a carriage (18) sliding in a lateral channel (7), the second supports (17) sliding along the lateral channel (7), a return pulley (15) placed at one end of said support (4) and the drop of a cord (14) provided at the opposite end of the support (4) with respect to the return pulley (15), a portion (14A) of the cord (14) being placed along the lateral channel (7) while the other portion (14B) is placed in the lower channel (6). 7. A device according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said two channels (6, 7) house two independent, conventional sliding systems, each of them consisting of a cord (14), one or two carriages according to the curtains being one or two, and of a plurality of sliding supports. 8. A device according to claim 7, characterized in that if one of the two channels (6) is placed upperly onto said support (4), the sliding supports relating to said upper channel (6) consist of C-shaped half-rings (9). 9. A device according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the sliding supports (9, 17, 20) relative to the upper/lower channel (6) and/or to the lateral channel (7) are all separate from each other, being united only by the relative curtain and not by a carriage (10, 18, 19). 10. A device according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said lifting means (21, 22, 23) consist of two or more rod-like elements (40), whose lower end part has the shape of a ring (41) half-close for the passage of the lifting cord (22), that also passes through the eyelets at the lower end of the curtain, said lifting means (21, 22, 23) also comprising one or two clutch drives (23) fixed to one or both the ends of the support (4) and that allow the blocking of the cords (22) when the curtain is lifted in an intermediate position. 11. A device according to claim 10, characterized in that said rod-like elements (40) for lifting the curtain are sliding along said lateral channel (7) and are moved by a carriage (18) moved by cord (14), so that the curtain may be horizontally opened. 12. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in that said rod-like element (40) may have any section, like e.g. circular, ellipsoidal, octagonal and similar. 13. A device according to claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the two drops of cord (14) may also be placed on the opposite sides of support (4). 14. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in that said half-rings (9) have a C- shaped part and a part (25) sliding along upper channel (6), preferably having the shape of a cylindrical body (28) with two circular upper and lower ends (26, 27), so as to have an H-section. 15. A device according to claim 14, characterized in that the part (25) is loosely connected to the C-shaped part of the ring by means of a screw (29). 16. A device according to claims 1 to 15, characterized in that support (4) may be connected to the wall by means of known angular or curved supports. 17. A device according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it has a third channel (6A) diametrally opposite to channel (6) . 18. A device according to the precedent claims, characterized in that an internal reinforcement (5A) is provided.

Inventors: BORZI ENZO, BORZI, ENZO
Applicants: ARCO SRL, BORZI ENZO, ARCO S.R.L., BORZI, ENZO
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A47H1
IPC codes: A47H1